Over 12 lakh Telangana chemists to join India bandh on May 20 over E-pharmacy rules
HYDERABAD: Over 12 lakh chemists and drug distributors across India will close their shops on May 20, 2026, for a one-day nationwide bandh called by the All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists (AIOCD). The Telangana Chamber of Chemists & Druggists (TCCD) has formally asked Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi to support their demands and help resolve the crisis.
In a memorandum to Owaisi on May 15, the TCCD President Dr Ghisulal Jain warned that the pharmaceutical trade faces an alarming threat. As a result, this affects the livelihood of 12.4 lakh chemists and nearly 4 to 5 crore dependents across the country.
Against this backdrop, the bandh protests three unresolved issues. First, the TCCD wants withdrawal of Notification GSR 817(E) dated August 28, 2018, which they say allowed illegal online pharmacies to proliferate. Second, they cite predatory pricing and unfair trade practices by large pharmaceutical corporations that threaten small and medium retail chemists. Third, they seek withdrawal of Notification GSR 220(E) dated March 26, 2020, arguing that its continued use after the pandemic bypasses essential safeguards under the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules.
Furthermore, the TCCD emphasized that this issue concerns both trade and patient safety. In their letter, they highlighted risks from unregulated e-pharmacies: sale of medicines without valid prescriptions, repeated prescription misuse, easy access to antibiotics and habit-forming drugs, circulation of fake or unverifiable prescriptions, lack of pharmacist-patient interaction, and risk of counterfeit or improperly stored medicines.
“Medicine is not a general commodity, it is directly linked to patient safety. The existing system ensures the right medicine reaches the right patient through a qualified doctor and a registered pharmacist. Weakening this system can have serious consequences for public health,” said Dr Ghisulal Jain President Telangana chamber of chemists and druggists Hyderabad in the memorandum.
The Telangana chamber, representing the state AIOCD unit, asked the Hyderabad MP to intervene. Despite repeated appeals to central and state authorities, the chemists say no meaningful action has been taken. Consequently, they have no option but to strike.
“The situation has now reached an alarming stage,” the letter said, urging Owaisi’s immediate intervention.
With over 12 lakh chemists and distributors participating, the bandh on May 20 will likely disrupt medicine supply nationwide, including in Telangana. Nonetheless, industry bodies have assured that emergency medicines will be available through hospitals and exempted outlets during such strikes.
